Local Organizations Collaborate to Host Welcoming Action Lunch
In response to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s call to promote a culture of inclusion within the City of Chicago, Erie Neighborhood House will partner with several local organizations to host a Welcoming Action Lunch on Friday, February 24.
WHAT: Welcoming Action Lunch
WHEN: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm on Friday, February 24
WHO: The event is co-sponsored by Erie Neighborhood House; My Block, My Hood, My City; Indo-American Center; Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; and 1st Ward Alderman Proco “Joe” Moreno.
WHERE: Erie Neighborhood House, 1347 W Erie St, Chicago IL 60642
The Mayor’s initiative grew out of rising anxiety experienced within marginalized communities—both here in Chicago and across the country—during the first month of the Trump administration.
“At a moment of unease and vulnerability for so many, let’s come together as a city and put action behind our words and the values we hold dear as a welcoming city,” Emanuel said in a statement issued on January 30. “Let’s show the world that the City of Big Shoulders is also a city of big hearts.”
Erie House executive director Kirstin Chernawsky says the anxiety stemming from the new administration is palpable. “We have witnessed how the president’s largely divisive rhetoric and actions have sparked fear within our participants and the community we serve. But throughout our agency’s 147-year history of serving immigrants and families in need, we have found that an inclusive society is a stronger society.”
Chernawsky explains that the event will aim to bring diverse groups of people together to explore how individuals, community organizations, and the public and private sector can work together to address the needs of marginalized communities.
“Our mission at Erie House is to work toward a just, inclusive society,” she says, “and that goal is shared by our fellow co-sponsors for the Welcoming Action Lunch on February 24. We’re looking forward to an enriching, productive dialogue.”
Admission to the event is free; individuals interested in attending should contact Danny Collins at dcollins@eriehouse.org or (312) 432-2237 to RSVP.